Saturday, October 25, 2014

Wasn't my fastest but then again it was a new route and about half a mile longer so was always going to be slower. It was more of a route variation than a complete redesign and on balance is a slight improvement, reducing the out and back section a little...

I actually quite surprised myself. I ran more of the up than I expected and descended more insanely than I've managed of late. Where I was a bit rubbish was the flat stuff. My leg speed is, well, non-existent.

I set off at the back of the pack. Not right at the back but nearer the back than the front - I'm probably over detailing this. I didn't expect to run the entirety of the first climb up the Deri - ooh, er misses - and, in fact, I didn't but I ran a lot more than I expected. I ran all the first road bit - yes, even that really steep bit at the corner. Dave the Power actually did a bit of overtaking at that point...

Once up onto the Deri I plodded across the level ground gaining a few places but not moving quite as quickly as I should be capable of. Onto the second climb I powered hard and ran at every point I could even if it was only for 10 metres - and it was in a few cases.

Finally to the summit of Sugarloaf I ran really well back down. I let the handbrake off and let my feet so the talking. I wasn't so good on the flat bit but the final climb back up to the Deri was solid before the drizzle came and fogged my glasses. That made for an interesting final descent because it's fairly stoney with tricky footing. Relying on the 'force' I managed to gain one more place but was glad to get to the finish as it wasn't entirely comfortable.

Overall, I went better and stronger than I was expecting. This racing regularly lark seems to be paying off. The grub in the pub at the end was welcome and it was nice to catch up with friends before the Landlord called time and we all went home.

Got home to find the sourdough loaf, proving ahead of the bake, had gone berserk. A rise that normally takes eight hours had gone supersonic. Fortunately, the structure held and I managed to get it into the oven without collapse. Disaster averted!